scientious objector, he agrees to either serve or not to serve as a noncombatant. Colonel PARTLOW. Yes, sir; it is a group that agree to serve in a noncombatant capacity that we have in the Army today. The CHAIRMAN. Are there any other questions, gentlemen? (No response.) The CHAIRMAN. All right; thank you very much, gentlemen. Senator GURNEY. Mr. Chairman, may we go off the record? (Thereupon the committee proceeded to the consideration of other matters.) 83616 (Farm Labor) HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE SEVENTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON S. 729 A BILL PROVIDING FOR THE DEFERMENT FROM IN AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS MARCH 2, 1943 Printed for the use of the Committee on Military Affairs UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1943 COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS ROBERT R. REYNOLDS, North Carolina, Chairman ELBERT D. THOMAS, Utah SHERIDAN DOWNEY, California WARREN R. AUSTIN, Vermont HENRY CABOT LODGE, JR., Massachusetts WESLEY E. McDONALD, Clerk UNITED STATES OF AMERICA MAR 16 '43 MANPOWER (FARM LABOR) TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1943 UNITED STATES SENATE, Washington, D. C. The committee met, pursuant to call, at 2 p. m., in the committee room, Capitol. Present: Senators Reynolds (chairman), Edwin C. Johnson, Hill (for vote), Truman, Wallgren, Murray (late), O'Mahoney, Austin, Gurney, Holman, Lodge, Revercomb. The CHAIRMAN. The meeting will come to order. Gentlemen, we are ready to proceed with a discussion of S. 729. The text of the bill, the text of a proposed substitute submitted by Senator Wilson and amended by Senator Holman, and reports from the departments upon the bill as originally introduced, will be inserted in the record at this point. [S. 729, 78TH CONG., 1ST SESS.] A BILL Providing for the deferment from military service of persons engaged in agricultural occupations Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 5 (k) of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, as amended, is amended to read as follows: "(k) Every registrant who is regularly engaged in an agricultural occupation or endeavor or whose principal occupation consists of employment in connection with the production or harvesting of any agricultural commodity shall, while he continues to be so engaged or employed, be deferred from training and service under this Act in the land and naval forces of the United States; and no such registrant shall leave such occupation or endeavor or cease to be employed in connection with such production or harvesting unless, prior thereto, he requests his selective service local board to determine, and such local board, subject to appeal in accordance with section 10 (a) (2), determines, that it is in the best interest of the war effort for him to engage in some other occupation or endeavor, to be employed in some other work, or to become a member of such land or naval forces." TEXT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE BILL SUBMITTED BY SENATOR WILSON AND AMENDED BY SENATOR HOLMAN Strike out all after the anacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following: "That section 5 (k) of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, as amended, is amended to read as follows: "(k) Until January 1, 1944, every registrant who is regularly engaged in an agricultural occupation or endeavor on a farm, or whose principal occupation consists of employment on a farm in connection with the production or harvesting of any agricultural commodity shall, while he continues to be so engaged or employed, be deferred from training and service under this Act in the land and naval forces of the United States; and until January 1, 1944, no such registrant shall leave such occupation or endeavor or cease to be employed in connection with such production or harvesting unless, prior thereto, he requests his selective service local board to determine, and such local board, subject to appeal in accordance with section 10 (a) (2), determines, that it is in the best interest of the |